MUSICIAN DISPUTES CLAIM

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 19 October 1933, Page 5

MUSICIAN DISPUTES CLAIM

WIFE'S MAINTENANCE SUIT. .COURT RESERVES DECISION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Oct. IS. Evidence given at Sydney by his wife, Mine. Theresa Vinogradoff, in an application for a maintenance alloivance was contested before Mr Stilwell, ■S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court to-day by Paul Vinogradoff, a Russian musician l .

In July last a Court at Sydney made a provisional order for maintenance at the rate of £3 a week. The evidence of Mme. Vinogradoff, who had been living at Sydney since her husband’s arrival in New Zealand 20 months ago, was sent on' affidavit so that the final decision could be given in New Zealand after Vinogradoff’s evidence had been heard.

Vinogradoff told the Court he had asked his wife to come to New Zealand but she had- refused. His letter to her had contained no threats of any kind. During his 20 months ini New Zealand he had earned £225. This included travelling and other expenses in all parts of the country where he had gone to fulfil engagements. During the last month his weekly receipts had averaged £3 13s and his expenses £3 ss.

The magistrate read out a section of Mme. Vinogradoff’s evidence in which she said she nad not wanted to come to New Zealand because she thought her husband was carrying on with a woman secretary tnere.

iCounsel (to plaintiff): Did you come here with any other woman? Vinogradoff: No, I came alone. When you wrote to your wife asking her to come here or before that had you been living with any other woman?—No.

So your wife could not have found that you were “carrying on” with any other woman?—No.

Did you have any woman secretary assisting you before you wrote that letter?—Yes. But. it was purely a matter of business. Before that time I had no regular secretary. The magistrate said he would reserve his decision on the maintenance until he had examined the legal aspects of the ground of the defence.